Follower for filing-cabinets.



C. E. ROYCROFT.

v rouowsa FOR FILING CABINETS. 4

APPLICATION FILED 111111.29, I916- N Patented Aug. 21, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. E. ROYCROFT.

FOLLOWER FOR FILING CABINETS.

APPLICATION FILED mnhzsyms. I I

' Patented Aug. 21

2 SP HTS-SHEET 2.

OHAES E. ROYCROFT, O COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE GLOBE- WERNIOKE COMPY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ronnownn ron lEILING-GINETS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. RoYoRoFT, a citizen of the Unlted States, residing at Covington, in the county of Campbell and i State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Followers for Filing-Cabinets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompan mg drawings, forming part of this speci cation.

The object of my invention is to produce a follower, the parts of whichiare preferably made of sheet metal and can be produced and assembled at very low cost,which is capable of holding the contents of the file,- when compressed, firmly in position against accidental displacement, and which when released can be easily moved backward or forward in the file without binding, and the preferred embodiment consists in the combination and arrangement of thefxparts as described in the specification, shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

The drawers ofmost filing cabinets are provided in their bottoms, at or about the middle, with a channel of suflicient width and depth to accommodate the tongues of guides which are usually employed to separate thecontents of the files for convenience in filing and finding papers and I prefer to construct my follower so that the binding parts are located within. this channel, al-

.though this is not essential, and other suitable arrangements can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In the accompanylng drawings Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a perspectivehiew of the front portion of the drawer of a fihng cabinet showing the follower, clamped in position against the contents of the file, the drawer bein broken away immediately behind the fol ower 'to show the arrangement of the parts. M

Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is a rear elevation of the follower and the channel of the drawer of a filing cabinet whichcontains the track upon which the follower is operated,

Fig. 3, Sheet1, is a sectional end elevation of the follower removed from the drawer, on the line 3'3 .of Fig. 2.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 191W.

Application filed March 29, 1916. Serial No. 87,656.

Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is an end elevation, partly in section, of the follower, removed from the drawer of the filing cabinet, showing the positions of the clamping parts when it is locked in position, in solid lines, and their positions when released, in dottedlines.

Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is an enlarged broken front elevation of the follower. I

Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is a portion of a follower corresponding with- Fig. 4, but showing a modification of the rollers which act as a clamping device also serve as a bearing for the follower, when the clamping lever is compressed and the parts are in the position shown by the dot ted lines. a v

Fig. 7, Sheet 2, is a portion of a front elevation, corresponding with Fig. 5, also lsBhowing the modification illustrated in The same numerals of reference indicate identical parts in all the figures.

- In the drawings -cabinet is represented as having a front 1, with sides 2, and a bottom d, provided with the usual orany suitable channel 5.

Suitably mounted within this channel .5 is a track 6, preferably made of sheet metal and provided with a flange 7 on each edge, with a slight clearance underneath it to accommodate the guides of the follower.

The follower consists of a body or main portion 8, of the proper size to compress the contents of the drawer, preferably made of sheet metal and provided with a top flange 9, side flanges 10, These flanges are provided to give additional strength to the body 8 and to present a more finished appearance. I prefer to taper the side flanges 10 as shown, and make device in which the 10, and a bottom flange 11. i

the drawer of the filing .6 to coact with the flanges 14 and hold the follower in position on the tracks.

Between the lower flanges 14 upper flanges 17 of the side plates 13 of the housing, suflicient space is provided to accommodate the flanges 7 of the track 6 so that when the clamping mechanism is released the follower can be readily moved on the track 6, backward to permit the operator to manipulate the contents of the file, p5 forward to compress the contentsof' the e. 1 In attaching the housing to the lower flange 11 of the body of the follower, I prefer to make this flange 11 conform with the upper surface of the top plate 12, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, it

being understood that the housing can be either welded, riveted or otherwise securely fastened to the flange. Movably attached to the body of the follower 8, preferably by means of rivets 18, is a sheet metal clamping lever 19, normally held in the position indicated by the solid lines in Fig. 4 by means of a suitable spring 20. The lower portion of this clamping lever 19 is bent rearwardly as at 21, thencedownwardly as at 22, and forwardly as at. 23 to clear the lower flange 11 of the body 8 and the top plate 12 of the housing, the cut out portion, indicated at 24 allowing free passage for the usual or any suitable rod in the channel 5 of the drawer upon which the' guides-are strung, and providing two forwardly extending arms 25, 25, each of which'is provided at its forward end with a loop, 26,

- furnishing means for carrying a stud 27,

upon which is rotatably mounted a roller 28. If preferred the rod for the guides might be dispensed with and the roller 28 mounted between the forwardly extending arms 25, 25, or arranged in any other suitable manner.

When the clamping lever 19 is released, the pressure of the spring 20 forces the lower portion of the lever forward and the rollers28, contact with the forwardly slanting under surface of the top plate-'12 of the housing and the upper surfaces of the flanges 7, 7 of the follower track 6 which through the co6peration of the flanges 14, 14 of the side plates 13, 13 of the housing securely clamp the follower against rearand the Ward movement, although a forward movement is permitted on account of the formation and relation of the parts.

To release the follower the upper .portion of the clamping lever is comprdssed, andthis action carries the lower portion of the lever backward, breaking the contact of the rollers 28 with the under surface of the top plate 12 of the housing and the upper surface of the flanges 7, 7 of the follower track 6 and permitting the follower to be freely moved either forward or backward upon the track 6 without binding.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7, Sheet 2, I have dispensed with the rearward lower extensions 16, 16 and have provided in each of the side plates 13 of the housing an elongated slot 29, enlarged at its forward end and through these slots I extend the ends of the studs 27 which carry the rollers 28. In this construction, when the clamping lever 11 is compressed to release thefollower, the rollers 28 are carried back out of contact with the under surface of the top plate 12 of the housing, and guided by the elongated slots 29 into which the ends of the studs 27 extend, remain in contact with the flanges 7 of the follower track 6 and serve as roller bearings upon which the follower can be freely operated, eliminating the tendency of the follower to chatter on the track when being operated in a, careless manner.

The slots 29 are shown enlarged at their forward ends to permit the rollers, when in contact with the flanges 7 of the track 6 .and the under surface of the top plate 12 of the housing to conform to any slight unevenness of the parts and insure contact of all the clamping parts whenthe clamping lever is released.

It will be understood that I do not confine .myself strictly to the details herein shown and described, and thatother forms might be provided without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention I claim:

1. A follower comprising a body, a housing provided with side plates adapted to movably engage a track in the drawer of a filing cabinet, and a clamping lever carrying means adapted to lock the follower against movement when brought into engagement with said housing and said track and to act as a bearing upon which the follower may be freely moved backward or forward without binding when disengaged from the housing.

2. A follower comprising a body, a housing provided with side plates adapted to engage a track or guideway in the drawer of a filing cabinet, and a clamping lever carrying rotary means for locking the folengage a track or guideway in the drawer of a filing cabinet, and a clamping lever carrying rotary means for locking thefollower against movement when brought into engagemient with said housing andsaid track or guideway, and to act as roller bearings upon which the follower may be freely moved backward or forward without by means of pressure applied to engage or disengage the parts through the medium of the clamping lever,

A. A follower comprising a body provided with flanges on its top, bottom and sides, a housing consisting of a top plate and vertical side plates provided with means for movable engagement with a track or guideway in the drawer of a filing cabinet, and a clamping lever provided with clamping means adapted to lock the follower against movementwhen brought into engagement with the top plate of said housing and said track or guideway. v

5. A follower comprising a body provided with flanges on its top, bottom and sides, a housing consisting of a top plate and vertical side plates provided with means for movable engagement with a track or guide way in the drawer of a. filing cabinet, and a clamping lever provided with clamping means adapted to lock the follower against movement when brought into engagement with the top plate of said housing and said track or guideway and to act as a bearing upon which the follower may freely move backward or forward without binding when disengaged with the top. plate of said hous- 111 .4 l

A follower comprising a body provided with flanges on its top, bottom and sides, a housing consisting of a top plate and vertical side plates provided with means for movable engagement with a track or guideway in the drawer of a filing cabinet,- and a clamping lever provided with roller bearings mounted on studs constituting clamping means adapted to lock the follower against movement when brought into engagement with the top plate of said housing and said track or guideway.

7; A follower comprising a body provided with flanges on its top, bottom and sides, a housing consisting of a top plate and vertical side plates provided Wlth' means for movable engagement with a track or guideway in the drawer of a filing cabinet, and

a clamping lever provided with roller bearings mounted on studs constituting clamping naeaeari 4 i means for locking the follower against movement when brought into engagement with the top plate of said housing and said track or guideway, and to constitute a roller bearing upon which the follower may be freely moved backward or forward on the track or guideway without binding when disengaged from thetop plate of said housmg. l 8. A follower comprisinga body provided vided with flanges adapted to movable enbinding. when disengaged from the housing,

gagement'with a flanged track or guideway m the drawer of a filing cabinet and a clamping lever provided with roller bearings mounted on studs constituting clamping means adapted to lock the follower against movement when brought into engagement with the forwardly slanting top plate of said housing and said flanged track or guideway. v

9. A follower comprisin a body provided with flanges on its top, ottom and sides, a housing secured to said body consisting of a forwardly slanting top plate and vertical side plates provided with flanges adapted for movable engagement with a flan ed track or guideway in the drawer of a filing cabinet, a spring-actuated clamping lever t provided with roller bearings mounted on studs constituting-clamping means adapted to lock the follower against movement when brou ht into engagement with the forwardly slanting top plate of said housing and said track or guldeway. and to constitute a roller bearing upon which the follower ma be freely moved backward or forward wit out binding when disengaged from the forwardly slanting top plate of said housing 3 and guiding means for the studs carrying the roller bearing 'to hold said roller bearings in a rigid vertical position when 'disengaged. from the forwardly slanting top plate of said housing. a

10. A follower comprising a body provided with flanges on, its top, bottom and sides, a spring actuated clamping lever having a forwardly extending lower portion provided with rotary clamping means, a 7

housing secured to the bottom flange of said body consistin vof a forwardly slanting top plate and vertical side plates rovided with flanges to movably engage t e lower and upper surfaces of a flanged track or guidesurface of the flangesofthe track or guideact as a bearing upon which the follower can be freely moved forward or backward 10 without binding.

CHARLES E. ROYCROFT. I

Witnesses AUGUST FRANKL, A. E. DAVIDSON. 

